Zelda's Secret
by Voltierre
Summary: Zelda has harbored a secret for her entire life, and the time has come to tell the Hero of Time the truth.
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I don't own anything to do with the Legend of Zelda franchise, this story is a work of fiction created by a fan.

* * *

><p>It had been a long time since Zelda had had to fight … And it wasn't a pleasant experience. The ruler of Hyrule had become complacent in the face of peace, nothing but a figurehead now, and it had been a long time coming that the Hero of Time would challenge the only other person who could rival him, the only other person who held a piece of the triforce.<p>

Zelda.

They stood facing one another, swords drawn and ready. Circling, each one looking for a chance to attack. Zelda's blue eyes held Link's, neither one moving first. Once upon a time, Link had learned his patience from Sheik – from Zelda's Sheikah alter-ego – so it was no wonder neither batted an eye when playing the waiting game.

"Make your move, Hero," Zelda's voice cut through the silence, sudden but not surprising the green-clad Hylian.

Link flashed a brief smile, replying coolly, "Why don't you make one first, _Princess_."

Zelda flinched at the title, and Link took his chance, lunging forward as he brought his sword down to meet the other. Reacting quickly, hilts locked together, noses nearly touching. Muscles, unused to combat, trembled against the strain.

"You've grown soft."

Zelda frowned, knowing that Link was holding back. "Don't go easy on me just because –" Pushing back, Zelda swept a foot behind Link's, knocking him off balance.

"Because what?" he replied, sidestepping a stab and countering with a well-timed elbow jab. He stopped short of actually hitting Zelda in the face as she tripped over the cumbersome skirts. He held a hand out to help up the ruler of Hyrule, purely out of respect for the position of power. In any other duel, Link would have gotten ready to strike again, but Zelda was the one ruling the country - the one ruling over the Hero of Time.

Scowling, Zelda knocked away the hand and stood. "Because I wear a _dress_," replied the other. It was time to get serious. Using the tip of the sword passed down from the late King of Hyrule, Zelda shore off the outer layer of the royal uniform she had to bear at the hip, leaving only the shorter, knee-length slip exposed. Before Link could stop Zelda from further damaging the garment, she cut a slit that stopped just short of flashing Link what kind of underwear Zelda was wearing.

Flustered, Link turned his head. "Princess? Could you … Put something else on at least?" Link had no intention of seeing what was under Zelda's skirts – nor did he want to.

"Fight me like this, or don't fight at all, Hero!" Without warning, Zelda charged in hope of getting the upper hand, but the Hero of Time was too quick. The blow was deflected, and Zelda spun around. Her sword met air, and she realized that Link was below her just in time. Flipping over backwards, the Princess dodged what might have been a death-dealing blow.

Link was only distracted by a moment, fighting the urge to stop the battle right then and there so Zelda could go at least find pants, before he recovered and took a defensive stance against the Princess, just as she jumped forward. Putting her body into it, Zelda locked swords with the Hero of Time once more. Trying her hand at unnerving him like he'd unnerved her, she asked, "You know, I could have sworn that you and Sheik had a thing going … The way you looked at me when I was in disguise was something else, let me tell you." Link surged forward and Zelda realized that she was no match for the hero, unnerved or not. With a cry, the hero unleashed a wave of energy from his blade that knocked Zelda off her feet.

Cool metal touched the flesh of her neck, and Zelda froze in the middle of getting back up. The battle was over, and Zelda had lost.

"I guess they don't call you a hero for nothing." Zelda's voice trembled. Link's blue eyes were so focused, so intent and angry-looking that it frightened Zelda, despite having seen that very look in his eyes many times before.

In one swift move, Link sheathed his sword, the look of intensity leaving his face. "I guess not." His eyes flicked down to Zelda's ruined skirts and he turned away again with an embarrassed cough. "Would you please do something about … That?" He gestured to the fabric on the ground, not wanting to offend the ruler of Hyrule, but also not wanting to leave Zelda in the indecent state she was in.

With a sigh, Zelda gathered up the ruins of the dress and wrapped them around her waist. "You can turn around now, Hero." Zelda couldn't help but feel rejected somehow. Maybe she'd touched a nerve or gone too far when talking about Sheik like that? But she did miss the way the hero looked at her when she was disguised as the young Sheikah boy …

"You called me here for a _reason_, Princess." Link turned around and took a knee, bowing to his ruler. He kept his eyes on the ground, knowing that if he looked up his face would betray how he felt – it still disappointed him to know that Sheik, the young man he'd met on his journey as the Hero of Time, was actually the princess standing in front of him. When he'd found out, he couldn't help but feel betrayed … No matter how good the reason for it.

Zelda reached out to touch Link's head, but thought the better of it, turning her back to the young Hylian. "I did," Zelda sighed, trudging up the steps to her throne. Gathering her thoughts, Zelda sat down. "I wanted to … Confess something to you."

Link met Zelda's eyes, surprise written all over his face and dread in his stomach. He knew that Zelda had feelings for him … Was she going to ask him to be King? To get _married_? It was something he'd dreaded for a long time. He just didn't know how to turn her down, how to tell her that his heart belonged to another person.

The Princess put a hand over her heart, feeling a sharp pain there at the look on the hero's face. What did he fear she was going to say? Zelda was nervous, but she felt strangely calm. "You have a right to know … About _me,_ Hero." How was she going to tell him? Maybe it was best to start from the beginning.

"Link …" His name felt strange on her lips, but Zelda pushed on, "You remember that day I escaped from Ganondorf, don't you?" When the Hero of Time nodded, she continued, "I … I went into hiding that day, taking another name so Ganondorf wouldn't find me. I took on a new identity." Again, Link nodded. Zelda knew that the hero knew all of this already, but she kept talking. She _had_ to keep talking or she'd never tell him. "You … You next met me as Sheik."

Link stood, confused. "Where is this story going?" He didn't really have time to listen to her reminisce about the past; he'd been called away from helping out at Lon Lon Ranch at a time when the ranch's milk was in high demand. Whatever Zelda had to say to him, if it was just about some details about his time as the Hero of Time, it could wait.

"Be patient," Zelda's voice dropped lower in irritation, reminding Link of Sheik. "Do you remember when that … _Thing_ escaped from the well in Kakariko Village? You were so scared for me … And," Zelda gave a little snort, "When you ran off to take care of the Shadow Temple, I was so scared you'd left me for good." Her smile faded and a look of sadness took its place. "I … I guess I still am. We haven't been as close as we were since I took off my disguise …"

"Zelda …" Link took a step forward, unable to bear seeing his friend so sad.

The Princess held up a hand to silence Link. "I know that you now only think of me as a friend, hero … But once … Once, you looked at me as something more. And I don't think it's fair that I've been so dishonest with you."

Frowning, the hero crossed his arms. What in the world could the princess hide from him? He knew that the young man he'd met on his journeys was Zelda, and he knew that Impa had changed her to a him so the princess wouldn't be found by the evil usurper king, Ganondorf. She'd already told him all this, so what was left to tell him? Maybe that she was adopted and wasn't really the heir to the throne.

"My … My mother always wanted a daughter, Link. Do you know the story of my birth?"

"No, I was raised with the Kokiri children and I still don't know as much about Hyrule as someone born here."

Zelda sighed and got up, too fidgety to sit still any longer. She was too close now, but all she wanted to do was tell Link to just forget it and go home. "My mother … She prayed to the Goddesses to grant a daughter as an heir, but she died giving birth. She never got to see the outcome of her prayers and offerings. My father … The late King of Hyrule, he wanted to grant my mother her last wish, that she have a daughter, so ... He announced to the people that the heir to the throne was his daughter, the princess. Me."

Link's face was solemn, despite his uncertainty. He wasn't sure any more that he wanted to hear what the princess had to say.

"Hero, when you treated me in Kakariko, you saw what was under my clothes, did you not?"

"Yes, Princess, but I didn't see anything unusual."

Zelda tried to hide a smile behind her hand. "Nothing at all?"

Link's face pinched up in a scowl. "Nothing, Princess. You were a perfectly healthy young m—" Link paused. A young man. Was that what the Princess was trying to tell him?

"Exactly. My mother wished for a baby girl, but she got a baby boy. My father had me raised as a young girl, Hero."

Stunned, Link opened his mouth to say something, _any_thing, but no sound came out. Zelda was … No. "But, you said Impa …"

That same look of sadness from before returned to Zelda's face. "She only changed my eye colour, that's all she had time to do. Magic like _that_ is too complicated and takes too much time, and Ganondorf was right on our tail. So far as he was concerned, I was a girl anyway, so it turned out all right in the end … Did you know he caught up to us, Hero?"

Shocked, Link shook his head. This was almost too much to bear, but he wanted to hear everything she had to say.

"He thought that Impa was trying to pass me off as the Princess of Hyrule because he came in as I was changing clothes. He didn't suspect a thing …" Zelda's eyes closed and she took a deep breath. Without looking at Link, the ruler of Hyrule asked, "Are you alright? It's not too much all at once, is it?"

"No, Princess—Or … Prince?" Link didn't want to admit that he was overwhelmed; he had too much pride as the Hero of Time. He didn't want to acknowledge that this person, that Zelda, was the same person who stole his heart as Sheik, that the only difference between them was eye colour …

"Hero, you may call me anything you like. Maybe you should stay the night, it's getting quite late." Zelda felt like a change in subject was needed, and fast. Face was flushed and heart racing, all Zelda wanted to do was run away.

"Yes … I'd like that."


	2. Chapter 2

It had been a long time since Link had had difficulty getting to sleep. His work since defeating Ganondorf was simple farm labour for Lon Lon Ranch, but it was hard enough work to put him to sleep each night without problems. Occasionally, Ganondorf would haunt his dreams, but that was getting more and more rare nowadays. However, the information Zelda had dumped on him earlier … Well, it plagued his mind. Link didn't know what to think.

Sheik was the one he fell in love with, not Zelda … But they were the same person. And now that Link knew that Zelda was actually a _boy_, like Link knew Sheik was, it somehow … Complicated things. He just wasn't sure who he was in love with any more.

Now Sheik … Link knew for sure he loved Sheik, for many reasons. Link knew he was only attracted to men, and it was obvious – at least through Link's eyes – that Sheik had feelings for him too. But the problem Link now faced was that Zelda was male, and Link didn't know if he loved Zelda like he loved Sheik. Zelda was more like a sibling, while Sheik was his crush and infatuation.

He didn't know how long he sat in bed thinking about Zelda and Sheik – and how he felt about them both, now that he knew the truth – but Link eventually sat up and groped around for a candle. It was dark enough that he couldn't see in front of him, but not dark enough that he was absolutely blind. If he concentrated hard enough, the Hero of Time could see the edges of things like the huge bed he was in, the doorway, and the desk at the far end. Finding the light was more time consuming than the hero would have liked to admit, but once he had it lit, he felt better.

Finding himself rather adventurous at this time of night, Link quietly let himself into the hallway and started to explore. It had been a long time since he'd been in the castle, especially once it had been rebuilt. Everything was the same as he could remember, albeit a little more new-looking. His socked feet tread lightly enough to make only the faintest of noise on the stone floor as he padded down the hallway, back towards the throne room. He trailed fingers along the cool stone as he went, trying to keep his mind away from Zelda.

It wasn't long before he was in the throne room. It seemed so much bigger in the dark. Link didn't stay too long as the room felt too open, made him feel too vulnerable, and it sent Link's senses into overdrive. On the way back, Link's ears couldn't help picking up a faint noise from the other side of the corridor his room was in. The sound came from the direction where Zelda stayed, but Link wasn't sure she – or rather, _he_ – would be awake at this time.

Taking a moment to memorize the layout of the hallway, Link blew out his candle and waited, listening. His hand instinctively reached for his sword, but he realized after a moment that he'd left it in his room – a poor choice on his behalf.

Link tiptoed to the end of the hallway and waited once more, stretching out his patience to do so. The movement seemed to be confined to a room just around the corner, and Link could see the faint glow from a candle. Still, he had to be cautious, he didn't know who it was that was up, and he might get in trouble for wandering about the castle so freely, Hero of Time or not.

Feeling like a stalker, Link sidled over and peeked around the corner of the doorframe, expecting to see a castle guard or servant still working away at this hour. Surprised to see that it was Zelda, Link peeked again._ Definitely Zelda_, decided Link on his third peek around the corner.

He turned the corner to greet his ruler, but stopped short when he saw that Zelda was kneeling on the ground, clutching the old Sheikah clothes Link knew very well. He'd seen those clothes in his dreams many times, on the Sheikah boy and off. Zelda had his back to Link, wearing what looked to be a pair of pants and not much else. Not quite sure what to make of the scene, Link stayed quiet and watched as Zelda held the white cloth fixed with the symbol of the Sheikah at arm's length, just … Looking at it. The blue form-fitting fabric was piled off to Zelda's side, and Link felt his face grow warm. Was Zelda going to put it on? Maybe he should say something.

Link wet his lips nervously, chickening out from speaking up when Zelda dropped the garment and picked up something from the floor, grabbing the long golden hair draped over one shoulder violently. Zelda's hands shook, even Link could tell from his distance in the flickering candle light. Link realized what Zelda was about to do only a moment _after_ Zelda heard his breath catch in his throat when he saw the pair of scissors Zelda held. His initial reaction had been to think that Zelda was going to hurt himself, but he knew a moment too late - or not, Link wasn't sure how he felt about the long hair yet - that Zelda was just going to cut down those long golden locks.

Spinning around, Zelda's blue eyes flashed in anger, the pair of scissors flying straight for Link. He'd nearly forgotten how good the Sheikah boy's aim and reflexes were. Link's reaction was slow, and the scissors grazed his cheek, drawing a thin line of blood.

"Were you spying on me, Hero?" Zelda stood, slowly and deliberately crossing arms over his bare chest. It was a gesture of both self-consciousness and irritation. He didn't appreciate being surprised like that – and although he wouldn't admit it, Link had frightened him.

For a good moment, Link's brain failed to properly work. All he could focus on was the fact that the man he had a crush on stood before him, half-naked and pissed off. "I … Uh, no, Princes—Prince." Trying to look casual, Link wiped at his cheek, smearing the blood and making a mess. Zelda stepped forward, looking menacing, and Link quickly dropped to a knee, trying to show his respect for the Royal Family. Ever since becoming the sole ruler of the kingdom left behind by the late King of Hyrule, Zelda had taken on a no-nonsense approach to handling his subjects, and that included Link. Oh, how many times he'd fantasized that it was Sheik in Zelda's place …

Zelda halted an arm's breadth from the Hero of Time, unnerved. Sure, he was used to seeing the Hero of Time bowing his head to him, but it was usually for show, in public. Zelda just didn't know what to make of this situation. "Stand up, Hero. I can forgive you just this once. _But_ …" As Link stood, Zelda grinned, an idea popping into his head, "You owe me a favour."

Link breathed a sigh of relief, for both escaping punishment and because … Well, he missed this kind of banter with Zelda. "As you wish," Link bowed his head, hiding a smile.

A silence fell over them, nothing but the soft flickering light from Zelda's candle to light the room – the soft light highlighted the half-naked Hylian ruler's muscles, but Link couldn't help noticing how diminished they were. It was clear that Zelda hadn't kept up with his training since taking the position of Princess of Hyrule. And it was strange seeing the Princess's face attached to Sheik's body.

"Hero …" Zelda hesitated, uncertain of how to ask the other for advice. "Do you think it's wrong of me to keep lying to my people?" It had been a question plaguing his mind since he'd made up his mind to tell Link the truth.

"I believe," replied Link after a short moment to think, "That you'll do whatever is best for this kingdom."

It was a politically correct answer and only what Zelda wanted to hear, so Zelda scowled. However, to hear that he had Link's faith made him feel a little bit better. "You're avoiding the question, but … Thank you, all the same." Turning so Link wouldn't see the blush creeping across his face, Zelda sighed. "I … Take it you couldn't sleep, Hero?" He glanced over his shoulder, seeing Link with a solemn look once more on his face, shaking his head. "Is there anything I can do?" I could show you to the kitchen for a midnight snack, perhaps? I have to return those scissors I borrowed from the chef if you would like to accompany me?" Zelda turned back to face Link once the blush had worn off.

Nodding, Link's face brightened. "If you don't mind, I think I will join you." He could use a snack, he hadn't eaten since lunch. It didn't help that his stomach was twisted in knots around Zelda now that his crush had been renewed, and now that he knew that Zelda really was Sheik, not just in theory or name.

Zelda asked Link to retrieve the scissors now embedded in the wooden door frame, taking that moment to kick his old Sheikah clothing under the cabinet he'd retrieved them from. They were a painful reminder of what he and Link used to have. Even though they were speaking normally, it still felt … off, somehow. Maybe it was because they weren't racing to save Hyrule from the evil king Ganondorf anymore, or maybe it was because it had been too long since he'd lied to link – whatever the reason, Zelda felt like their relationship was now strained.

They walked in silence, both too engrossed in their own concerns to speak to one another, Link carrying the ever-shrinking candle. Zelda led the way, clutching the pair of scissors to his chest. The kitchen was empty, so Zelda carefully placed the borrowed tool on the great wooden table before showing Link where the food was and excusing himself.

"I'm sorry Hero, but it's late. I hope you will join me for breakfast?" In truth, Zelda wasn't tired, he just felt plain awkward. Perhaps after they'd gotten some sleep, they would both feel better about the whole situation.

With a nod, the Hero of Time replied, "Yes, of course."

"I will see you then, Hero."

Zelda left Link standing alone in the kitchen. Putting the candle down on the table, he rummaged through the cupboards, looking for some spiced bread or something as a snack. His thoughts kept turning to Zelda, and how he knew he should feel betrayed, but he didn't. On one hand, Zelda had lied about being Zelda when they were fighting to save Hyrule from Ganondorf as well as letting him believe that the man he'd fell in love with was actually a woman. On the other hand, Zelda hadn't really lied, he just hadn't told him the whole truth – but he also hadn't told the rest of Hyrule, either. Link felt torn.

After finishing his snack, Link returned to his room. He had some questions for Zelda in the morning that would just have to wait until breakfast.


	3. Chapter 3

Sunlight filtered in through the high windows in Link's room, rousing him from sleep as the sun rose. The hero of Time rolled out of the lush bed feeling sore and unrested, but also much less confused. He had had a dream about the ruler, and, though now unable to remember it all, knew that Zelda was just cross-dressing to keep the kingdom of Hyrule happy. He had lied, yes, but Link felt that maybe he could move past that. Besides, if Zelda was Sheik and Sheik was Zelda, there was still a definite attraction there – after all, Sheik _was_ beautiful.

The green-wearing Hylian, having slept in his clothes, merely had to buckle on his sword and shield before heading to breakfast with Zelda. Smoothing his tunic down and straightening his cap to at least look half-decent, Link didn't notice the lack of staff in the castle until he entered the central dining hall. It seemed strange to the hero that there were so few, if any at all, people around at this time of day, but at least it meant that he and Zelda would have some time to talk alone.

The ruler of Hyrule entered the dining hall only a few minutes after the Hero of Time, already dressed in the required gowns of a princess and in full makeup. The change from the night before was both a surprise and anticipated. Link didn't expect Zelda to start dressing as a Sheikah again, but he also didn't expect the prince to keep up the façade so easily. Gesturing to the hero to join him at the head of the table, Zelda took his seat at the almost-obscenely ornate chair reserved for him at the massive table. Link sat down on Zelda's right side, but before he could open his mouth and start asking his questions, Zelda gently placed his hand on top of the Hero's.

"I have something to ask of you," Zelda wouldn't meet Link's eyes, betraying his calm composure. "You do not have to answer right away, and you should not feel pressured into agreeing, but …" Zelda paused, making Link feel nervous.

What could he want to ask that would make him so anxious? It wasn't like Zelda to be like this, and it worried the hero.

"I have been called away to make peace with the Zora's and the Gorons, Hero, and I was hoping you would join me as my personal bodyguard." Out of the corner of his eye, Zelda finally looked up to meet Link's gaze.

The questions that Link had been prepared to ask Zelda that morning fled his mind then. Of all the things Zelda could have asked – too keep his secret, to forget everything, to help him tell his kingdom – he didn't expect this. In all honesty, he was actually pleasantly surprised, since all the things he'd thought Zelda might ask weren't really up his ally. Immediately after taking down Ganondorf, he'd expected Zelda to ask him this question, but he had eventually forgotten the hope that his princess would want to keep him at his side. After all, three years spent living his life was a long time to a boy who had lost seven of them to the Sacred Realm.

The pregnant silence was finally broken by the green-wearing hero as he said, "I ... Don't know what to say." It wasn't as though he was going to turn down the offer, but Link still felt apprehensive. Being a body a bodyguard to the Royal Family had traditionally been left up to the Sheikah – a fact Zelda himself had told Link when they had first met.

A look of disappointment crossed the Prince's face. It was obvious that he believed Link was going to say no. Staring down at the silken table cloth, he said dejectedly, "You really don't have to, hero, if you don't want to. I know it's a busy time at the ranch, so I will understand if you decline."

Without anymore hesitation, Link replied, "I accept, my Prince."

Both of them jumped as the chef and two assistants pushed open the large doors noisily, carting in breakfast for the two of them. Zelda flashed the green-clad Hylian a small smile as the three of his castle servants set out their meal, and Link felt his heart leap. For a moment, it was as if he could see the Sheikah behind all that makeup. Zelda waited for the chef and the assistants to leave again before speaking once more.

"I'm so glad," he breathed, slumping forward as far as his corset would allow. "I was so afraid you would say no! I really do miss going on adventures with you, you know. I don't know how many times I've wanted to send a messenger to fetch you so we could run away together." A blush crept up Zelda's neck and his gaze dropped to his hands as he fiddled with the silverware. "I do have one more request for you, though."

"Anything for you." Link felt giddy, knowing that he may get to see Zelda dressed as Sheik again soon, if they were to journey together, however little a chance that might be. Who knew, maybe Zelda would wear those Sheikah clothes so the pretty dresses of the Princess wouldn't get ruined?

"If it's not too much to ask, I would like to ask that you keep pretending that I'm a woman when I'm acting as ... Well, as the Princ_ess_. The only ones who know are you and Impa now, Hero, and I would like to keep it that way – for a little while at least." Zelda held Link's gaze sternly, a look of desperation and urgency barely hidden on his face. "Please understand."

For a moment, Link said nothing, nodding when the chef returned with the last of the food. "I _do_ understand, Princess. Of course I'll do what you ask." He smiled, briefly touching the ruler's hand. "So what's for breakfast? I'm starving!"

* * *

><p>Taking a moment to check Epona's saddle a third time, Link tried to think of ways to explain to Malon and her father that he would be taking some time off for a while to parade about Hyrule with the Princess. He wasn't looking forward to it. Malon was normally sweet, but at this time of year when the stress was especially high, she could snap and verbally chew your ear off if you so much as cut her off in the barn by accident.<p>

Link stepped up into the stirrup and swung his leg up and over in one fluid movement, just as one of Zelda's daytime servants shyly stepped into the barn. She paused for a moment before raising a hand to greet the Hero of Time, looking rather intimidated. Not quite sure of what to make of her, Link raised his own hand in return, nudging Epona toward the shy attendant.

"You're Link?" she asked with a slight stutter. After a nod from the man wearing green, she continued, "The Princess wishes to inform you that her party will meet you at the gates to Lon Lon Ranch at sunrise in three days." She didn't make eye contact with the hero, choosing instead to stare at his chest as she spoke.

"Oh," Link tried to catch her eyes to give her a smile, but he wasn't sure she saw it, "Thank you. Could you pass on a message from me to the Princess, miss ...?"

"Of course," she blushed, flustered as she curtsied, clearly not expecting the Hero of Time to address her. "What would you like me to tell her?"

Deciding to not push the question of her name, since she seemed quite awkward around him, he just recited his message. "Tell her that I look forward to seeing her then."

With a nod the girl turned hastily and fled the barn, disappearing into the castle. Amused, Link prompted Epona to move forward again, where she picked up her pace without Link having to give her any more direction. It had been a long time since anyone had been so nervous around him, and it brought back some good memories of the fanfare that seemed to always surround him for the first few days after coming back from destroying Ganondorf.

His thoughts turned away from both Malon and Zelda while he rode home, reminiscing on things long past. For once, Link was able to just lose himself in his memories, forgetting all about how to break the news to his employer at Lon Lon Ranch and about meeting his sovereign in two days time.


	4. Chapter 4

Leading Epona from the stables at the ranch, Link had been ready to meet Zelda at the gates when Malon flew out of the house in a fury. "Link!" She all but screamed at him, "You can't leave yet! We still have things to do!" It was still dark, the sun not yet risen but very much on it's way.

Wincing, Link tried to smile reassuringly at Malon. "Look, I really am sorry about this. I already finished brushing down the other horses and made sure everyone has water. I really can't do much more at this time of day, Malon. You know that."

Planting her hands on her hips, Malon frowned. "What about playing the cows a song? You could get your share of milking done before you leave. Please, today is going to be tough enough without you to lend a hand with Cuccos, you can't leave without at least milking your cows!" Anger was quickly replaced with desperation. "I know the Princess is coming today to get you, but do you know what else that means? People will want to come to see her, and that means business for the ranch, a _lot_ of business. Me and my dad can't do it alone, so could you at least just do your milking?"

With a sigh, Link nodded. He knew all too well what kind of attention Zelda received whenever visiting a small place like Lon Lon Ranch, and he knew that Malon might even be underestimating it, but he still wanted to get a head start and ride to meet Zelda. It had been only few days, but it felt like an eternity to Link – and all he could think of was ways he could rebuild the relationship they'd developed before. He handed over the reigns to Epona and trotted off to where most of the cows were kept, knowing that if he didn't hurry, he'd miss his chance to meet his ruler at the gates and show how dedicated he was.

Playing the song and milking the cows took longer than Link had anticipated, and he was disappointed to see the gathering crowd at the ranch when he finally emerged. Zelda was either very close or already there.

Pushing his way through the crowd in a half desperate dash to get to where Malon had tied Epona. He'd just untied the reigns when a roar of a cheer nearly deafened Link – he really hadn't quite expected a crowd as big as it was. Zelda was very popular as a ruler who put the people first, avoiding conflict with the neighbouring kingdoms much more readily than the late King of Hyrule. And as such, it earned him many fans and an adoring public.

Epona was skittish, tugging at Link to get out of the pushing crowd as he tried to lead her into it, towards where Zelda was no doubt waiting for him. It took a little shoving on his part to make it through the crowd as it became more and more dense, but soon he had emerged on the other side, still holding fast to Epona's reigns and in one piece himself.

He didn't immediately see where his ruler was, squinting against the glare of the rising sun. When he did see them – Link counted at least ten horsemen – he was surprised by how far away they still were. How had these people known when Zelda was going to arrive – and how had they managed to get there before the royal procession? But then, the type to become obsessed with royalty were known for their ... commitment.

Before the crowd could push forward any further, and to spare Zelda from his adoring public, Link mounted his good friend Epona and she took off, glad to get away from the overbearing crowd of people. Link, too, was glad – glad for the old feeling of excitement at this new adventure, for the wind in his face, for the familiar movement of power and muscle between his legs he joined and melded with in riding. For a few sweet moments, Link and Epona were of the same mind, feeling free and happy, but when the heavy sound of many hooves became loud enough to drown out his thoughts, Link pulled back to meet the party accompanying the current Princess of Hyrule. He raised his hand in greeting as both Link and Zelda came to a stop next to each other.

"Hello, hero," said Zelda with a grin. His eyes seemed different somehow to Link, but he wasn't able to pinpoint why. Maybe it was just because he'd been thinking about Zelda for the last couple of days non-stop. "I see you're all ready to go." There was a note of amusement in his voice, a smile tugging at Zelda's mouth.

Link felt a blush threatening as he realized that maybe riding out to meet Zelda would look like he was overeager. "Yes, Princess." To cover his own embarrassment, Link gave a mock bow. "Where are we heading first?"

Seeing the smouldering look Zelda shot back in return for his sarcastic bow, Link dropped his gaze. He really had to remember not to do that with Zelda – at least not in public. "We are going to visit the Gorons first, to repair the relationship between their people and the Royal Family." Turning his own horse around to face the same way Link and Epona were, he continued, "After, we will visit the Gerudo Thieves."

"The Gerudo?" blurted Link to Zelda's back as he nudged his horse forward, following Zelda's lead. "But what about what happened with Ganondorf?"

Zelda shot Link a glare over his shoulder. "Do you not realize that it is exactly that attitude that bred someone like Ganondorf?"

Taken aback by the anger in Zelda's voice, Link was slow to urge Epona into a trot after his ruler, following after the rest of the party had taken off after the Princess. He hung back, not quite sure how to feel about what Zelda had said and not sure if he should be angry back at the Princess. After all, Ganondorf had _kidnapped_ Zelda and tried to take the Triforce of Wisdom from him by force. Not to mention he'd killed the late King of Hyrule, destroyed the castle he'd grown up in, and nearly brought destruction and ruin upon the entirety of his kingdom.

After a while, Zelda slowed his horse's pace, allowing his attendants to catch up. The group was rather raucous – at least, it seemed that way to Link who normally travelled alone or with Epona – and everyone appeared to be friends with one another. Still hanging back, Link couldn't help but notice one girl who kept getting left out of conversations. She looked somewhat familiar to him, and every so often he would catch her glancing his way, only to quickly look somewhere else.

Taking it upon himself to make himself a part of the group, Link approached the young woman after yet another glance at him. Trying to be friendly, Link smiled at her as she shyly refused to meet his eyes, pulling her own horse away from Epona as if to give them more berth. "Hello," he said, waving instead of extending a hand – she kept moving away from him, making it impossible.

She nodded, clearly nervous, with a half-smile in response. Her face was all pink, making Link think that maybe she was getting a burn from the still-low sun or maybe a little heat exhaustion.

"Are you alright?" Concern was written on the hero's face, and it made the girl's colour to get darker. Link had to hide his amusement then, turning his attention back on where Epona was leading him so he didn't see her reaction when he added, "You're a bit flushed."

When Link glanced back over at her, she was moving her horse away, looking mortified. "Sorry," she muttered, barely audible over the sounds of travel.

Link was confused. Was it something he'd said? Maybe everyone was just in a bad mood that day.

He rode alone for a while longer, until a taller, more elegant-looking woman than the young lady he'd tried to talk to before – probably another one of Zelda's handmaids – approached him in the shadow of Death Mountain, sitting awkwardly in her saddle as if maintaining her straight posture was causing her pain as she bounced against the movements of her horse. Link couldn't help thinking that riding like that was incredibly inefficient before she opened her mouth to speak, her voice a deep timbre he'd seldom heard from women in Hyrule, "You are the Hero of Time, I presume?"

Startled only for the briefest of moments, he nodded. "Link. It's a pleasure to meet you, Miss." He nodded, knowing better than to try to shake her hand when she was gripping her reigns so tight.

She smirked at him, startlingly bright eyes scraping over his body as if he was some sort of foreign dirt, no doubt judging him on his riding style. "Lady Arreil," she reply shortly, flicking her dark curls off her face. "I see you're trying to get to know the Ladies of her Highness, Mr. Link. I thought I would come and introduce myself so you wouldn't have to trouble yourself."

Link wasn't sure what to think of her, but his first assumption was that she was a pompous know-it-all. He knew better than to base all his judgement of her character on his first impression, but she still irked him. "How ... Nice of you," he replied awkwardly. He didn't quite know how to treat a Lady like her, so he was going with the 'say as little as possible' strategy.

"I understand that you were raised in the forest, Mr. Link? So I think I will let your disrespect slide for now." Before Link even had time to figure out what she meant by that, Lady Arreil was already talking again. "Lady Anise seems to have taken a liking to you. I wonder though, if you realize how close you are to losing the Princess right now. You _do_ know about her suitors, don't you?"

Seeing the confounded look plastered on Link's face, Lady Arreil gave a laugh, her face pinching unattractively, making Link's face pinch in response. Who was this annoying woman, telling him what to do with his Prince, insulting him on his manners, and laughing when he didn't know what the hell she was talking about? When she was finished laughing, Link asked, as politely as he could muster, "You've lost me, Lady Arreil. I am loyal to Zelda and Zelda _alone,_ and I have _definitely _not been around gossipers long enough to hear of these suitors."

The look of smugness on the Lady Arreil's face nearly made Link turn away in disgust. He really had no patience for people like her, no matter how much he had to deal with them. But this suitor business had him curious so he sucked up his prejudices to hear what she had to say about the matter. "It seems that there are many men from around the Kingdom who've been seeking the Princess's hand in marriage. Why, just this morning a man claiming to be the Prince of the Sheikah stalked her Highness to the stables to ask her for marriage! The Princess had nothing of that, of course. But you know, if you don't make your move soon, she may _settle_ for someone else."

"Zelda would never _settle_! He's-" Link paused, catching himself. "_Her Highness_ would never stoop so low, _Lady Arreil_." Link felt sick, not trusting his own words. Would Zelda ever settle? He didn't seem the type, but ... It was always a possibility. What if someone from a neighbouring Kingdom wished to make an alliance? Zelda would never let Hyrule fall just because of a little pride, so it was possible he _might_ settle ...

Lady Arreil's voice cut through his thoughts, and he realized a moment too late that she'd been baiting him, _trying_ to rile him up. "Oho, I see you've got some fire in you yet. I was beginning to wonder if that pretty face of yours ever showed emotion, Mr. Link." She grinned widely, a look of secrecy hidden beneath the surface. "Perhaps you should direct that passion towards the Princess now. She's been in a foul mood since you left." Lady Arreil nodded towards her ruler then, yanking on her reigns to move her horse out of the way. "I wasn't lying about the suitors, though. You really should move quickly, lest she pick what is best for the kingdom and not what's best for _her_."

Link sat in stunned silence for a few moment, turning the idea over in his head. It couldn't hurt to ask Zelda, right? Plenty of people were asking right now, according to Lady Arreil at least, so what would the harm be if he threw in his own declaration of love? Any lingering doubts about whether or not he was still in love with the man he'd fallen for during his journeying now that he knew he'd been lied to – twice now – dissipated. Link knew then that if he wasn't going to be with Zelda the rest of his life then he didn't want to be with anyone else.

Finally, Link shot Lady Arreil a grateful smile before urging Epona faster so he could catch up to the front of the party, where Zelda led them proudly. Once he was flank to flank with with Zelda, Link lost his sudden confidence. What was he going to say? He decided to start with, "Hello."

Zelda spared him only a glance, but it was obvious that Link's company was at least somewhat appreciated. "Hero," he replied, the affection in that one word betraying the rigid posture and cold body language.

They lapsed into silence, the ever-approaching Death Mountain looming in their path. Link didn't have much time until they would be passing through Kakariko, where they were likely to spend the night. "So, your Highness, I ... Heard about your suitors." Glancing shyly over at the other, Link was disappointed by the blank look.

"Hm?" he said, clearly distracted. "Sorry hero, it seems I was lost in thought."

Link lost his nerve then, staring down at his friend and companion's mane. "It was nothing."

Again, a silence descended over the two. It was when the group finally came to the steps leading to the village that Impa had founded that the current ruler of Hyrule finally spoke again. He turned in his saddle so he could see everyone as he stopped, nodding to Lady Arreil – who Link hadn't noticed take her place next to Zelda while they rode – before speaking in a commanding and booming voice. "We stop here for supplies only – we will be leaving the village before sundown. I wasn't aware our journey would take us quite this long, so I didn't give them notice of our stay. We camp at the base of the mountain tonight. Everyone understand?"

There was a general nodding of heads and a subdued echoing of "Yes, your Highness," before Zelda turned back around and kicked his horse forward. They took the long route up to the village, circumventing the stairs to spare the horses, and by the time they reached the village it was dark, the sun already hidden behind Death Mountain.

They didn't stay long, just as Zelda had said. By the time the group left Kakariko, the sun had fully set and the mountain, no longer rumbling and angry thanks to the Hero of Time, was all shadows and darkness. The Princess's Ladies were all skittish as they set up camp, not far from the Dodongo cave, but still helped as much as they could around the camp until the fires were lit. It was finally time to relax.


	5. Chapter 5

Link didn't bother setting up a tent, hoping to sleep under the stars like he used to. Because the volcano was pretty active, there were veins of molten rock close enough to the surface that there were a few secluded hot springs not far from where the group had stopped. Looking forward to relaxing in those shallow, hot pools, Link busied himself with helping others with their horses while they set up their things. It was the least he could do, after all, since he was used to solitary travel almost exclusively it wasn't like he really ever needed to set up a big operation in a short amount of time, he was pretty much useless to the group right then.

He realized this as he finished taking off the saddle on the last horse that had been left to him. What exactly had Zelda brought him for, if he was so useless? Sure, he was Zelda's bodyguard, but was that really all he had to do? It made him feel lazy, like keeping an eye out for his sovereign was too simple in a time like this. Sure, it was a time of peace, now that Ganondorf was gone, but there were still people who hated Zelda for taking over the throne again. There were still people who thought that a ruler who abandoned their people in a time of need, like it had seemed Zelda had done, was not fit to rule the kingdom. But that didn't mean they would go out and assassinate someone. Most people were content just complaining to one another about that kind of thing, so Link really didn't feel like there was any true threat to Zelda's life.

Link found himself wandering along the familiar paths towards the hot springs as he thought. He'd just have a quick dip and then he'd go back and see if he could help with anything else, make himself useful some how. The path seemed a lot less worn to Link as he clambered over the rocks and onto ledges, but he just chalked it up to not having been back to Death Mountain since he'd defeated Ganondorf. It would be good to see the Gorons who called him Brother again.

The natural hot springs were nestled into crevasses in the rock, where they filled the deep cracks and ran slowly out into a stream that fed into Zora's river eventually. Steam lifted off of the pools in wisps, and Link felt as if the were beckoning him into their warmth. The moon was full and high, illuminating the area in a silvery light that made everything seem somehow mystical. Quickly stripping out of his clothes and weapons and laying them where he could keep an eye on them without having them get wet, Link slipped into the hot springs with a contented sigh.

He'd forgotten how nice it felt to do something like this after a long day of riding. Clinging to the edge of the spring's pool, Link carefully tested the water further down, to see if he could find the bottom. He remembered his first time in these springs, when he'd accidentally stuck his foot in a hot vent and burned his toes pretty badly, wanting to avoid a repeat. Soon he was standing on the bottom, soaking in the warmth with his eyes closed.

Losing himself to the wonderful feeling, he didn't hear another person's approach until they stopped suddenly, a sharp intake of breath sounding too loud. Link's eyes snapped open, hand flying to the hilt of his sword – which he didn't have on him. It took a moment for the hero to realize who he was staring at, who had also reacted instinctively, hand out as if expecting something to fly from it. Cerulean blue eyes stared in shock into deep crimson ones, shining eerily in the moonlight.

"Your Highness," breathed Link, swallowing as he dropped his hand back into the water. Zelda straightened up, looking just as embarrassed as Link as the hero sunk deeper into the water, not sure how to act around his ruler when he realized that he was completely naked.

Hesitating for a moment, Zelda glanced down at the hero's clothing before squaring his shoulders and twisting his now-long hair into a tight bun. "The pools are shallower to your left, hero," said Zelda as he pulled off his riding gloves and discarded them next to Link's.

Dumbstruck, Link sunk even further. Zelda wasn't going to join him, was he? Naked? "Are you ..?" He didn't know how to ask. And he didn't want to ask Zelda to leave while he got dressed. That would be rude, wouldn't it? It didn't seem like Zelda was shy about it ... So why should he? But then ...

Link's face darkened in embarrassment before he turned away, not wanting to stare as Zelda started to peel off his boots and unbuckle his fancy overcoat – which was no doubt covered in dirt and horse-sweat. He heard more articles of clothing drop, and still Zelda said nothing.

When the ruler of Hyrule finally slipped into the water beside Link, the hero realized what looked so different about him, the thing that had been bugging him about Zelda's appearance all day. The normally sky-coloured eyes of the Princess were the shining red of the Sheikah! How had he not noticed that? "Your eyes," he started, staring down at the water as Zelda moved to the shallower water he'd pointed out to Link.

"Yes?" prompted Zelda, when Link lost his nerve.

After the brush off earlier, Link was still feeling a little dejected, but he pressed on. Zelda had just had a lot on his mind, he insisted silently. "Your eyes are red," he glanced up briefly, rewarded with seeing the naked chest of Zelda. Not allowing himself to stare, Link forced himself to look back down at the water.

"Are they?" Was there amusement in Zelda's voice? "It is probably exhaustion. I was up before the sun, after all."

"No, I mean ..." Link looked up again, as Zelda found a ledge to sit on, leaving just his neck and head exposed, like Link. Their eyes met once more, confirming that Zelda's eyes weren't just bloodshot. "The irises ... They're red." _Like Sheik's_ he wanted to add, but refrained. Zelda might not appreciate being reminded. He already hated having to lie to his people, right?

But why go through the effort of casting magic to change his eye colour?

There was a brief silence then, Link fighting to keep his eyes on the water in front of him. Then, finally, Zelda said quietly, "So you _did_ notice."

"What ... Do you mean?"

Unable to help it any longer, the Hero of Time looked up and locked gazes with the holder of the Triforce of Wisdom. There was a look of sadness in his eyes, but a smile on his lips. Hating to see his Prince like that, Link moved into the shallow water.

"I know this is silly, hero ... But I missed the way you looked at me. I ... Wanted to try to get you to look at me _that way_ again. To love me like you once loved Sheik." Zelda broke eye contact first, turning away from Link as he lowered himself on the same ledge Zelda sat on. "It was a foolish idea."

At a loss as to what to do next, Link simply sat there. His blush was starting to fade and the embarrassment at being naked in front of Zelda was starting to dissipate as well, but he still felt awkward. His turned his gaze to where he presumed his knees would be, as some stray clouds drifted over the moon, casting everything in shadow.

After a few more moments of silence, Link finally asked, "Would you ever ... consider a political marriage?"

"No," Zelda's answer was quick and definite.

Another silence, this one much more tense than the last, blanketed the two. Finally, Link said, "I should go back," and started to get out of the wonderful warmth that the hot springs had provided him. Zelda didn't stop him right away, waiting until he was done shaking the water off of himself and had started to dress.

"Wait," he said pleadingly.

Link didn't turn around, but he slowed in getting dressed. He didn't want to see what kind of look Zelda was giving him, afraid it would be one of disappointment.

There was hesitation in Zelda's voice as he asked, "Would _you,_ hero? Consider a political marriage?"

Figuring it was now or never, Link swallowed loudly. "Only if it were to you." Not waiting for a response, he finished pulling on his tunic and put on his hat, fleeing from Zelda. If he was rejected, he just didn't know what he'd do – so he didn't want to hear the answer at all. He hadn't bothered to re-arm himself, opting to carry all of his equipment back down to the camp. Dumping all of it except his sword beside Epona, Link busied himself with finding something to help out with.


	6. Chapter 6

Zelda returned much later, looking refreshed and not at all as bothered as Link thought he might be. He immediately sat at the fire and started to chat with his Ladies, sneaking glances at the Hero of Time when he thought the other wasn't looking. Every once in a while, Link would catch a look out of the corner of his eye and blushed, but he didn't try to approach his sovereign. It felt too awkward now.

Once the fire was put out and almost everyone except the people assigned to first watch had gone to bed, the shy girl he'd tried to talk with during the ride joined him in making sure the horses were secured for the night. They worked quickly and in silence, re-tying the knots properly and making sure the rocks and trees the ropes were tied to wouldn't fall on the horses if they pulled on them.

When they'd finished, Link asked, "So, your name is Anise?"

It was hard to tell in the shadows of the horses if she was blushing or not, but judging by the way she started to fidget, Link guessed that she was. "Yeah," she answered, sounding nervous.

"What made you want to be a Lady to Zelda?"

Anise fidgeted in silence for a moment before shrugging. "It wasn't my decision." Her voice was a little stronger, and Link assumed that she resented the choice of her parents to make her a Lady.

"Do you dislike it that much? I didn't think Zelda was horrible ..."

Looking up at Link with a slightly frightened look, Anise quickly said, "No, It's not that! The Princess is good to her Ladies!" Shaking like a leaf, Anise turned to flee, looking mortified, but Link's hand on her shoulder stopped her.

"Relax, I'm not going to rat on you if you don't like Zelda. I'm not that kind of person." Link was confused by her reaction. "Why are you so nervous around me?" She was like a frightened little bird, ready to take flight at the slightest sound.

Moving away from his hand, as if it were somehow offending her, she slowly turned around to face the green-clad hero once more. She wouldn't meet his eyes again, opting to stare at the ground instead. Stuttering and trembling, Anise answered quietly, "You're the Hero of Time. I ... You shouldn't be talking to someone like me."

Link frowned as Anise turned and strode quickly towards the tent the Ladies were all sharing for the night, clearly flustered. She kept her head down and, confounded, Link could only watch her retreat in disbelief. Was there something wrong with him, that she'd think something as terrible as that?

Maybe he would ask her in the morning about it, but for now it was late and he should be getting some rest if he wanted to fulfil his duty as Zelda's body guard. Laying out on the packed dirt not far from Zelda's elaborate tent, as a good bodyguard would, Link stared up at the sky. He contemplated everything that had happened to him since he'd saved the kingdom from Ganondorf. Since starting a relatively normal life in Hyrule, knowing he wouldn't ever fit in with the Kokiri children, Link had been content. Of course he missed his old companion, Navi, but she was just that – a companion who'd abandoned him once her purpose had been served.

He'd spent his time trying to forget about Sheik and Navi, throwing himself into things like restoring Castle Town and helping out at Lon Lon Ranch. It just wasn't the same, not after going on such wondrous adventures like calming the great volcano, saving Princess Ruto from her misadventure in Lord Jabu-Jabu's stomach, and fighting his way through the past and present sides of the Spirit Temple. The mundane life he'd pretended to love was nothing compared to those adventures. Even more than that, the feelings he'd had with Sheik never faded. So why was Zelda insisting that he didn't look at him the same way any more?

Perhaps it was just insecurity talking, but ... Link had a suspicion that his love was starting to dwindle. And what if it was? The thought terrified the green-clad hero. He didn't want to stop loving that stoic, thoughtful man who'd captured his heart. Sheik had been the first person Link had truly felt like he would spend his life with. However ... If Zelda, who was Sheik -

"Excuse me. Mr. Link?"

Link sat up with a start, realizing that he'd started to drift off. He wasn't on the first watch, so he had figured it was okay, but what if it wasn't? "Yes?" he answered, unnerved by Lady Arreil's sudden appearance – but more unnerved that he hadn't heard her approach.

"Her Majesty wishes to know why you're sleeping outside. She also wishes to know if you'd care to join her in her tent as an alternative to sleeping on the filthy ground." Wrinkling her nose, the Lady straightened up so she was no longer looming over the hero. She was wrapped in an embroidered blanket, looking less-than-dignified while trying to hide her bedclothes, despite being wrapped in the shadows cast by the ever-thickening clouds that had begun to obscure the moon.

"Ah, thank you Lady Arreil," he answered, laying back down. "Could you tell her I'd prefer to sleep under the stars?"

"No. She requested that you tell her yourself." With a huff, Lady Arreil then gathered the edges of the fancy-looking blanket and scurried back towards her own tent, where there were two curious faces poking out, one of which Link knew was Lady Anise's. Sparing Link only a glance, the three of them retreated back into the no-doubt warm depths of their tent.

Sitting there for a moment, trying to feel annoyed and failing, Link finally sighed and gathered his things and dusted himself off. If Zelda wanted to talk, then ... He really didn't have much of a choice. Stalling to gather his thoughts, the Hero of Time took his own sweet time in making sure his tunic was brushed off properly before wandering over to the Prince's tent. Once there, he stood at the entrance, trying to steel himself for whatever was going to happen inside. Then, finally, "Zelda? May I come in?"

A faint rustling of fabric and the strike of flint on steel let the hero know that Zelda was lighting a lamp for him. "Yes, of course."

Expecting to see Zelda, still putting on the facade of being the Princess, Link was startled when he pushed open the tent's heavy fabric to see the familiar face of Sheik – minus the crimson eyes. Sheik's strong jaw replaced the softened one of Zelda's, and his cheekbones were much less sharp – if Link didn't know better, he would have said that Sheik and Zelda were siblings. Following Zelda's beckon, Link tied the door swiftly to give them a sense of false security and stepped inside. It wasn't as roomy as Link had expected, but it fit the two of them very comfortably. There also wasn't a whole lot inside, no more than a larger-than-normal bedroll and a few extra pillows.

"Sit," ordered Zelda, taking his own seat at what Link assumed to be the head of his bed. Once they were both seated, Link still clutching his battered shield and unstrung bow, Zelda smiling but clutching a pillow in his own lap, the Prince asked, "You didn't think you would sleep outside, did you?"

Staring down at his knees, Link quickly set the items in his grasp on the ground, feeling foolish for holding onto them still. "I ... Was hoping to, yes." Glancing up at Zelda's face, again seeing Sheik there instead of the Princess. It made his heart sing to see him like this, without the makeup and illusions that made him appear as the people of Hyrule expected – to see him as he truly was.

A pregnant silence enveloped them, as they stared at one another. Zelda's face remained emotionless, but Link's eyes betrayed his thoughts. His eyes had always been the most open feature on his face, always giving away his deepest thoughts when he wanted to keep them hidden. Both of them started to talk at the same time, and they both smiled sheepishly at one another.

It was Zelda who spoke first."I ... I need to know if you were serious, hero. About your proposal." This time, Zelda's perfectly stoic mask seemed to crack, showing a flash of nervousness. "To me."

"Proposal?" Link repeated, swallowing. "I ..." Closing his eyes briefly to calm himself, knowing that if he didn't he would either bolt in fear of Zelda telling him that he didn't want the Hero of Time to court him formally or start to tremble in anticipation of asking for his hand in marriage – neither of which being favourable in his situation. "I was – I mean, I am." Making sure to make eye contact, all too aware of the kinds of emotions he was betraying to his sovereign right then, he added, "If you'll have me, that is." The so-called Hero of Time was only able to hold Zelda's gaze for a moment, before it returned to his knees, an embarrassed blush covering his face as he waited for an answer. The answer he hoped for. The answer he dreaded.

Even unable to meet the Prince's eyes, Link could hear the smile in Zelda's voice when he replied, "I will."

Surprised, Link's head snapped up from staring at the ground, blue eyes meeting blue eyes. It was then that Link realized that he didn't truly hate Zelda's eyes, he just hated that they were so unfamiliar to him – but no more. Now unable to look away from the Prince's eyes, Link could only watch as Zelda hesitated before discarding the pillow from his lap before crawling forward, placing a hand over the Hero of Time's own.

"I am glad, hero. Although I would never marry another monarch for the sake of a political marriage, I _would_ have settled with less," His hand tightened around Link's briefly, before Zelda settle back down on the pillows, "Than you."

Link had always imagined that he would be the one to take a kiss from Sheik – or, Zelda now. But when the Prince's lips crashed into his own, Link couldn't help his surprise. His hands flew up to Zelda's shoulders and he pushed, purely out of instinct. "Zelda?" he asked, holding his sovereign where he was, leaning forward and looking hurt at the rejection. "What ..?"

The Prince's face slowly closed itself off, returning to a stoic mask as he said, "I hate that name. Call me Sheik, hero." When he tried to pull away, Link's fingers tightened.

This time, Link took his Prince by surprise. It took no effort at all for the green-wearing hero to switch to Sheik, especially when the said man didn't hesitate in returning the second kiss. The only thing his mind could comprehend was that he had done it, he had kissed _Sheik_. They pressed mouths together tightly, and it was Link who opened his mouth first, inviting Sheik in to explore. Their tongues danced in a fierce battle, tasting, testing, pushing for more.

Breaking apart for air, both panting, Link found his Prince's hands tangled in his hair so tight it hurt and his own fingers were gripping the base of Sheik's skull so hard they ached. It was only a moment before Sheik was pushing Link onto his back with so much force he felt himself rebound momentarily off the padded futon. Faster than the Hylian had expected, Sheik was on top of him, pelvis's pushed together as his mouth descended on the Hero's neck.

"Ah!" Link threw his head back as he groaned, exposing his neck to his ruler. Sheik's mouth wanted to taste all of him, desperately, and he left a trail of red skin as he dragged his sucking and biting to the hem of the Hero's shirt.

"Take it off," he demanded, moving back up when he found that clothing was impeding him from going any further to nip Link's ear. He didn't expect the hero to flip their positions instead, pinning both of Sheik's hands with only a single of his own, a belated blush crawling over his skin like fire when his brain caught up with the situation.

"You're too impatient," Link's breath tickled Sheik's neck, making him shudder involuntarily and groan softly.

Sheik wasn't about to complain when Link's own mouth started to lay playful kisses all over the exposed skin of his neck, his free hand pulling at the loose fabric of the Prince's bedclothes until they came loose and lay open. The hero never strayed any further than the Prince's collarbone and never once gave him anything more satisfying than those light butterfly kisses. He wanted to make sure that his Prince enjoyed himself, but he also wanted to make sure the Prince wouldn't regret this. He wanted this so much, but he didn't want to hurt him.

Finally, Sheik wrapped a leg around his captor's waist, trying to convey his need as he tried to get as close to the hero as possible, startling him out of his clouded thoughts. When the only response he got was for Link to smile into his neck, Sheik growled, "Stop your infernal _teasing_!"

* * *

><p>"Do you think I should tell them?" Zelda – no, <em>Sheik,<em> Link reminded himself – lay sprawled on his side, fingers idly playing along the Hero's skin.

Unthinkingly, he blurted out the first thing that came to mind, "Yes." It would solve this sneaking around and pretending to be something he didn't want to be any more, at least. It was almost unimaginable what it would have been like growing up with such confusion.

With a sigh, Sheik briefly closed his eyes. Leaning down to where Link lay beside him, eyes still closed, Sheik breathed against Link's lips, "Thank you," before laying a gentle kiss there. It was much more hesitant that their other kisses, and Link imagined he could feel his sincerity in it. The Hylian's fingers were the ones to explore this time, brushing along the curves of the Prince's neck and clavicle, then around to his shoulders, but that was as far as they went.

They parted slightly breathless. Link broke the comfortable silence first, hesitantly. "When?"

Sheik's eyes fluttered shut, half in physical exhaustion and half because he just didn't want to think about it just yet. He took a moment to think about it. It was time to stop running. "The moment we return to my kingdom, I shall make the announcement."


	7. Chapter 7

Link felt slightly claustrophobic in a room with so many people. It seemed that Sheik knew a great many of them, leaving the Hero of Time on his own in order to greet each one in turn. Perhaps it was for the best. These people needed to vouch for their ruler's character, to let the people of Hyrule know that he wasn't just some imposter. These people were the trusted business owners and former soldiers and friends of the late King. Hyrule trusted them, and now Sheik had to have faith in that trust.

It just didn't make up for how uncomfortable Link felt. Most of the people talking with him were simply insufferable with their blatant attempts to get on his good side. The rest only knew him because he was the Hero of Time, proving their ignorance of his role in saving their lives by making demeaning comments about his clothing. Why did they care if he wore green or not? Or even that his clothes were battle-worn and not exactly the fanciest.

Who was he to dress up for anyway, these people? It didn't seem worth the effort, and he was glad he hadn't bothered.

Instead of socializing with the people in the room, Link opted to become a wallflower. It was better that way, since he would always have his attention on Sheik just in case. It was strange to see him all dressed up again. His face was painted immaculately, lips a rosy red and eyelids a light purple. A little blush made his face glow when he smiled. Even though the face was very slightly masculine – the jaw just a tad bit square, chin a bit flat, cheekbones not quite as sharp as they could be – no one suspected a thing.

Who would? Not even Link had doubted the lies.

The more he examined Sheik as he pretended to be something he wasn't, the more he noticed the way he moved. It looked awkward, restricted. Too much like it was an act. His hips didn't sway the same way they used to, but perhaps that was because Sheik was nervous. The dress looked bulky and ill-fitted in places – especially the waist.

Link's thoughts started to drift as the party wound down and the time when Sheik would reveal his true sex drew close. He remembered the questions he'd asked the Prince, wondering if they'd been too insensitive. Perhaps he could have held off on prying into his private life.

Or perhaps he shouldn't have asked at all.

"_If you were raised as the Princess, well ... What were you told about your ..." Link pointed in embarrassment to his crotch. It was clear to him that Sheik had the pieces that Link had, but it must have been confusing growing up with them._

_Sheik simply shrugged as he combed his fingers through his long, golden hair, eyes dropping to the ground. The Goron's had been gracious enough to cover the cold ground in beautiful rugs for their comparatively soft feet. After an awkward pause, his eyes met Link's. "Impa was the one to educate me about my body when I was young. I wasn't allowed to play with other little girls unsupervised in case I discovered that I had been born dissimilar to them. It wasn't until I had begun to live as Sheik that I had ... Well, that I determined Impa and my father had raised me contrary to tradition."_

_The sadness and pain that twisted Sheik's face worried Link. There was something he wasn't being told, but it seemed that the memory of it would only hurt Sheik so Link promptly dropped the subject._

"Mr. Link."

Link was startled out of his thoughts and, reacting on pure instinct, reached for the sword he wasn't wearing on his back. The Ladies Arreil and Anise had joined him while he'd been watching Sheik, it seemed. He paid no attention to them as he frantically searched the room to find where his Prince had gone, ignoring Lady Arreil's protests when he pushed past her to venture into the crowd.

Link couldn't find him anywhere. He circled the room twice before spotting him on the balcony, talking quietly with a bigger man. The stranger seemed to tower over Sheik even when leaning against the railing. His clothes were tight-fitting, especially around his waist, but they looked like they were embroidered with pure gold threads.

Opting to wait just outside the doors, not trusting the way the man leered over Sheik or the way he kept reaching out to touch his bare shoulders while still wishing to be polite – for the Prince's sake.

The weeks they'd spent together since first travelling had taught Link so much about Sheik that he hadn't known before. Like that it was a pet peeve of the Prince's to be interrupted, verbally or otherwise. He'd explained to Link that it was because he'd been socialized as a girl as a child, but when he'd been allowed to live as himself, as Sheik ... Well, he'd described it as being able to see the world clearly. Link wasn't sure exactly what that meant, but he did know that he wanted to understand what it meant.

The pair broke up suddenly, with the man throwing open the balcony doors angrily, leaving Sheik alone outside. Link took that opportunity to slip in before anyone else could.

"Prince?" He asked, keeping his voice low. Sheik whirled around at the sound of his voice, visibly relaxing when he saw who it was – a reassurance to Link, too. Sheik felt at ease around him. "Is everything all right?"

Nodding, he took a deep breath before squaring his shoulders. "Yes, Hero. If you'll excuse me, I believe I have an announcement to make."

Striding confidently past his retainer and back into the crowds, Sheik swiftly climbed the steps to a podium bearing the crest of Hyrule that had been set up for him. All eyes turned to the Prince as he turned his gaze on the crowd, conversations dying swiftly. The silence in the room was almost unbearable. Link found himself shifting forward with the rest of the crowd, almost mesmerized by the way the setting sun bathed the Prince, throwing his features into sharp contrast.

Fires on either side of him roared to life, and a few gasped in the crowd. Feeling the crush of the crowd, Link quickly wove his way towards the wall by the steps, fully intended to come to his Prince's aid if necessary, as he began to speak.

"Welcome, everyone." His voice was strong, sure. Link was pleasantly surprised by this – while they'd been getting Sheik dressed, he'd been worried he wouldn't be able to tell them, that his voice would warble or crack.

"I apologize if I haven't had a chance to greet you each personally this night, but as you can see, there are many gathered here. A great many of you here tonight are close friends of mine and friends of Hyrule."

Link glanced at the crowd. Most of them were smiling and those that weren't at least didn't wear a frown.

"I regret ..." Sheik fumbled for the words he'd practised over and over. When he found them, his composure shaken, he searched the room for Link, wanting reassurance. Their eyes met as the crowd shifted uncomfortably, and he continued. "I regret to inform you that I ... Am not not exactly the person you all seem to believe that I am."

There was a hushed whisper passed along the crowd.

"Perhaps ... I should recount the story of my childhood." There was some shifting, but no one spoke out, no one rushed forward. "As all of you must know, my father, the late King of Hyrule, raised me alone. My mother passed away at my birth. As many of you also knew my mother, you surely knew of her wish to produce a Princess as her first child. That child was me."

Again, Link's eyes met Sheik's. He could see that his Prince's hands were shaking behind the podium, clenched tightly. But still, the Prince pressed on. He couldn't get this far and quit.

"However ... I am not a traditional Princess. Had my father not made the decision to honour my mother's dying wish and raise me as the Princ_ess_ of Hyrule, I would have been raised as the _Prince_."

Sweeping his eyes over the crowd again, gauging their reaction, Link was surprised by the lack of emotion. Sheik's eyes begged Link to join him at the podium, but he knew he couldn't. The Prince couldn't afford to look weak right then. Instead, Link made small shooing motions, urging him to continue.

Voice shaking as much as his hands now, he did. "You all remember how Ganondorf usurped the throne, killing my Father, the late Kind of Hyrule. He attempted to take my life as well, but my protector, Impa, spirited me away and together we hid from the traitorous Gerudo King. While I hid, I assumed an alter ego, Sheik.

"Impa made the decision to dress me in traditional boy's clothing of her tribe, the Sheikah. I discovered then ... What I have told you."

There was another whisper of discontent that rippled through the crowd. It was clear that many of them weren't quite ready to believe that they were lied to their whole lives. Trying to tell themselves that Zelda was the Princess, she was female.

Link's mind wandered while Sheik searched for reassuring words. He remembered when Sheik had told him about when it finally clicked that he was male. He'd told Link that it just hit him, that he just knew that all those times he'd felt _wrong_ about himself, that he knew somehow that all those feminine things they'd forced on him hadn't fit. He wanted to be the _Prince_ when he came back to assume his rightful throne, not the Princess. He hated being told that because he was a girl he was supposed to be weak, docile, unable to pass down his legacy.

But when he finally knew he was supposed to be the Prince ... It made sense. And it made him angry. He'd passionately told Link about how he hated the discrepancy between how he'd been treated as a girl as opposed to a boy. It irked him. He had ranted for hours about his plans to change that. He'd ranted about his confusion and how he didn't understand.

Link's thoughts were ripped back to the present when the shouting began. The Prince's face was twisted in anger, but still he stood at the podium and listened. Having not caught what was said first, Link felt lost. What was their problem? So what, Zelda was actually the Prince. That changed nothing.

After a few moments, the crowd died down once more, giving Sheik a chance to speak again, voice no longer trembling and voice booming throughout the hall with an authority Link hadn't been privy to before.

"I shall assume the throne as Sheik, Prince of Hyrule. I will follow the tradition of how I was raised as a Princess and hold Prince as title until the time comes that I marry. The kingdom needs you now more than ever. As many of my close personal friends, you can vouch for my character, convince the kingdom that I have not changed, that nothing will change. I give you my word as ruler of this kingdom and as a friend, and I place my trust in _you_ to keep this kingdom from falling apart."

Stepping down from the podium, Sheik all but dashed down the steps to where Link stood. Together, they pushed along the wall through the crowd that was trying to mob their new Prince, forcing their way to the huge doors that led to the hall. A few of the guards, not swayed from their duty to protect the Royal Family by this news, helped push the crowd back as the two fled to the Prince's chambers.

Link and Sheik barricaded themselves in, having prepared for such a reaction. Although expected, his friends' reaction still upset Sheik, making conversation between the two pretty minimal. Sheik paced restlessly around the large room while Link stood at the window, silently keeping an eye out for assassins, despite the unlikely chance someone had hired an assassin so quickly. Link still felt better keeping watch, and he knew it made Sheik feel much more at ease.


	8. Chapter 8

It was a long time before the noise inside the castle died down. Sheik paced tirelessly behind Link, who stood vigilant at the window. He wouldn't let his concentration break for anything, not when there was unrest so close to his Prince. When Sheik finally suggested they get some sleep, that was when the knock first came.

"Excuse me, Princess?" Link didn't recognize the voice, but Sheik seemed to. It halted his pacing, and Link heard him turn, presumably towards the door. Neither Link nor Sheik said anything, more out of caution than fear. "We have cleared out the castle of all your guests."

There was muttering on the other side, then another knock, and a different, louder voice. "Zelda? Or ... Sheik? Is ..." More mumbling. "Prince Sheik?" The voice grew quiet, but Link heard him ask the other if maybe he wasn't inside. Nonetheless, he continued. "If you're inside, the remaining members of your guard would like to tell you that we will stand by your side."

The heavy footsteps and clang of armour signalled their leave shortly after. Link couldn't help but relax slightly as they did. If they had really wanted to, it would have been easy for them to simply break down the door and their barricade. It was enough to hold untrained and over-privileged nobles at bay, but not enough to keep out the Prince's trained guard – and Link would have been virtually powerless against them, Hero of Time or not. His sword was a simple steel one, now that the Master Sword was back in it's place at the Temple of Time, sealing Ganondorf away in the Sacred Realm.

And honestly, Link was pretty exhausted as it was from keeping watch. Fighting even just two of those guards would be hard enough in close quarters. Luckily, he didn't have to. Hopefully, he never would, and this would all just blow over in the morning. He didn't want to give himself false hope, but the idealist inside of him wanted it so badly it hurt to think of anything else. It hurt to think of people disliking or even hating his Prince.

Link was startled from his thoughts when Sheik stopped his pacing to venture near the Hero of Time. A hand, gentle and loving, touched his shoulder. The touch begged him to leave his post, but he couldn't. Link didn't dare risk the chance.

"I can't," he muttered, wanting so badly to just clamber into bed with Sheik again. To feel their flesh press together, to kiss and touch and feel. It ached deep in his chest to refuse his Prince after so long, but he had to think of his safety first.

Link heard him sigh, then, tentatively, Sheik wrapped his arms around Link's waist. His grip was loose, but fingers gripped themselves tightly. Trying to comfort Sheik as the Prince rested his head on Link's shoulder, Link covered Sheik's hands with one of his own. It amazed him still how small those fingers were. How dainty they seemed when they were covered in expensive satins, the battle-worn digits concealed well under the light fabric. Link knew better than to assume that under those gloves Sheik's hands were soft and unused, he knew first hand how rough the skin was, how ragged the nails were.

He knew that Sheik, pretending to be the Princess, had been afraid that he'd had hands that were too mannish and had covered them up when he returned as Princess in fear of being exposed before he was ready. The things the Prince had already told him sometimes disturbed the Hero, knowing that the pain the man he'd fallen in love with suffered through was all wrought because of a simple assumption.

They stayed like that at the window until the sky started to grow light with the impending dawn. Just as the first chorus of birds rang clear through the sky, Link caught sight of movement. It was faint, but it was obvious. Someone had climbed an adjacent tower and now stood within his line of sight. If only he'd had his bow!

"Prince," he said softly, stirring Sheik. Guiding the ruler, Link shifted towards the wall, and Sheik followed suit quickly.

"I can see them," said the Prince as he peeked out from behind Link. They both slid down the wall to conceal themselves, and the Prince let out a heavy sigh. "Do you think they're an assassin?"

"I don't know."

Sheik paused before absently combing his fingers through his long hair. "I apologize for involving you in my private affairs."

Link briefly turned his gaze from what he could see from the window to frown at his Prince. He quickly returned his attention back to keeping watch from their new hiding place as he snorted softly. "You have nothing to apologize for. In fact, if you hadn't included me I would feel a little insulted. Especially after everything we've been through."

That made the Prince hesitate momentarily. Then, gently, "Thank you."

It felt almost painful to Link to hear the insecurity in his Prince's voice. Turning again to break his watch, Link cupped Sheik's face with one hand and kissed him deeply. Their tongues clashed desperately as Sheik deepened the kiss. It didn't last very long. A thunder of armoured footsteps and a pounding fist at the door startled them both.

"My Liege," hollered yet another unfamiliar voice. "You are no longer safe in your chambers, I beg you to come with us to a safer location."

Sheik glanced at Link, something in his gaze telling Link he believed the voice. His eyes tried to tell the Hero something he could not understand before the Prince stood. Still concealed by the wall, Link tried to yank him back down, to no avail.

"Hero, I trust him. We must leave."

Unable to stop himself from the jealousy that suddenly gripped his heart, Link felt the bitter bite of distrust. Sheik trusted whoever was on the other side of the door more than himself, his lover and potentially betrothed?

Despite having never mentioned marriage after the night they spent together at Death Mountain, Link couldn't help but feel a sense of entitlement to his Prince. They'd confessed their feelings for one another. The Prince had even proposed – or, at least Link thought he had. His memory of the event was a bit murky, overshadowed by the time they'd spent afterwards, the hours into the night they'd explored each other's bodies.

But it wasn't the time to think about that. Link followed closely behind Sheik as he removed the heavy objects barring the door. An arrow buried itself in the carpet only a few feet from where Link stood guard over his Prince. When a second one whistled through the window, Link struck it down. Before a third could be readied, the door was free and the two of them were in the hall.

Immediately, Link recognized the man at the door. It was the captain of the Royal Guard, the corps of castle guards that were specifically assigned to keep the Royal Family safe when the Sheikah had disappeared. When Ganondorf had presumably wiped the rest of them out with his forceful taking of the throne. The captain had his sword at ready, much like Link. He nodded at the Hero before motioning down the hallway. More soldiers stood at the ready.

"The Southern tower," barked the captain to Sheik and Link as he motioned for them to follow. "It's the safest location in the castle right now. It's where the rest of the Royal Guard is situated."

Without another word, he turned and started off at a fast pace, expecting the Prince and Link to follow. And they did. They didn't run into anyone on the way, but they had to pass through the open courtyard to reach the Southern tower. Luckily, no arrows rained down on them. Link hoped it was because the assassin had been taken care of, but knew better than that. More likely, he just didn't have a clear shot from his vantage point.

To his astonishment, when Link and Sheik entered the base of the tower, the guards there turned and took a knee, bowing their heads to the Prince as he entered. "My Liege," echoed the guards, standing when Sheik, just as bewildered as Link by the display, motioned for them to stand.

Touching the Prince's shoulder, the captain tipped his head in respect before rushing up the stairs to check how things were going on the upper levels. Leaving them with the others, alone and confused. One young man stepped forward, another that Link didn't recognize among the slew of warriors.

Looking nervous, he bowed his head, saying, "My Prince-" He stopped, cutting himself off before addressing his ruler incorrectly. "We have prepared you some suitable clothing and armour – if you would accept our humble offerings." Motioning towards the cellar door, the young man shifted nervously from foot to foot. It was clear that he was chosen simply as a spokesperson and was not comfortable with it. "We built a store of weapons during the scuffle tonight, you are welcome to choose anything that pleases you."

Leading the way, he started down into the cellar. After a brief, shared glance with Sheik, Link and his ruler followed. As long as Link was there, Sheik felt safer, but Link wasn't quite sure if it was wise to trust these people. They _seemed_ accepting enough, but ... One could never really know.

Once down there, the young man bowed and left. The torches made the dank cellar less dark, but it still smelled dewy and wet. There was indeed a small pile of swords, spears, bows of differing sizes, quivers already stocked, even a few strangely curved knives. Sheik ignored them and instead went first to the things set carefully in the middle of the room as Link went to inspect the weapons. The hero wanted to give his Prince a moment to see the clothing first.

It only took a moment before Sheik started to strip the feminine garments from his body, struggling to untie the bodice that gave him a curve in his waist. When Link saw the struggle, Sheik split the seams and simply tore it off with a grunt. The look on his face, the determination and happiness on his face kept Link away. Sheik needed to do this himself, strip himself of the identity he'd been wearing as a mask and allow his real self to shine.

Although he kept his distance, the Hero of Time could not keep his eyes from wandering over the lines of his ruler. The torchlight danced over his muscles – although not quite as toned as he used to be when travelling alongside Link, the Prince hadn't let himself get too soft. Blushing slightly, Link turned his head, allowing some privacy.

When Sheik was done, he just about bounced over to where Link stood, staring mindlessly at the sharp objects in front of him, the image of Sheik replaying over and over in his head. It wasn't the time to be thinking of such things, but Link couldn't help himself from his thoughts. Especially now that he was Sheik's and Sheik was his ... It was hard not to let his mind wander. It still felt so surreal.

"What have we here?" he asked, hands, no longer in long gloves, snaked around Link's waist.

Spinning around to see his Prince, Link grinned. It was good, seeing him in better fitting clothes. It had been hard, knowing that Sheik had to go through so much pain to obtain the semblance of femininity he did. The long-sleeved grey under-tunic wasn't much, but it was better than a dress. Although meant to be worn with another piece of clothing and underneath armour, Link preferred it alone. The black leggings, just a bit baggy, fit well into a pair of dark leather boots.

The only thing that seemed off was Sheik's face. It was still painted up to look like a Lady, hair falling out of it's pins haphazardly. With a frown, Link reached forward to touch Sheik's face. "You should wipe the make-up off. It doesn't suit you very well."

Sheik grinned before nodding. "I will," he replied, peering around Link's broader figure at the weapons once more. "But first, I must find myself a suitable weapon. I can not risk being caught unprepared." Stepping around Link, Sheik gravitated immediately towards the smaller throwing knives. He'd always been better with concealed weapons, even besting Link a few times in sparring matches with them – not that Link would admit to anyone that he had been bested at anything.

It took only a few moments for the Prince to choose several knives. When he turned back to Link, he bit his lip, hesitating to say what was on his mind. When Link prompted him, he sighed.

"I cannot go into battle with my hair this length," he said, staring at anywhere but Link's face. Lowering his voice to an ashamed whisper, he added, "Although I am quite fond of it." After a pause, he looked up at Link, begging him to give him some sort of guidance. "What say you, Hero?"

After a moment, Link swept a few stray strands of Sheik's blond hair from his face. He honestly preferred shorter hair on his ruler, but did not want him to do anything he would regret later. "Braid it back for now. If it gets in the way, you can always cut it then." It was a diplomatic answer but when Sheik's face brightened a bit, he knew it was also the right one. Despite not truly understanding having an attachment to his hair, he could cope with Sheik's long hair. After all, he wasn't the one wearing it so it didn't really matter.

"Excuse me?" The young man was back, standing in the doorway. His gaze was on the floor, and even in the torchlight Link knew he was blushing. It puzzled the hero for a moment. "I don't mean to be rude, but the captain wishes to see you, Prince Z- Sheik."

Was he blushing because he'd come in on a private moment? Perhaps.

"Thank you," replied the Prince, dipping his head. Giving Link one last glance, he reached back to braid his hair as he walked, fingers deftly and swiftly tying the hair into a thick rope. Knotting the end without care that it might get tangled, Zelda, Link, and the young soldier emerged into the quiet chaos that was the base of the tower. People were moving about now, delivering letter, switching posts. Nothing truly seemed disorganized in the chaos of bodies.

The three of them ventured up the stairs to the very top of the tower, where the captain waited for them. He was surveying cautiously through one of the archer's slits in the stone, using a glass eyepiece to enhance his vision. When the young man cleared his throat, he turned, moving from the slit and grinning.

"I'm glad you found clothes to suit you, my Liege," bowing his head and receiving a dip in return, the Captain clapped a hand on his ruler's shoulder. "We have not seen anything unusual since the riot last night-"

Link couldn't help but notice the slight wince the word 'riot' triggered in his Prince.

"-But we're being cautious in any case. There _have_ been a couple of rogue soldiers spotted roaming the halls, but they've all been scared off since you've ... Relocated." He paused, glancing at the Hero briefly, expression unreadable. "If it is no trouble, I would like to ask that your ... _Companion_ assist us in one last sweep of the halls before we return to our rightful place in the castle."

Sheik glanced at Link, who seemed a little bit confused. Why did they want the Hero? Was this some kind of ruse? But Sheik did trust the man with his life, and decided that he would continue to do so.

"Of course, if he also agrees to it."

Another shared look. Link hated to think of separating from his Prince, but if he trusted these guys ...

"Of course." Link just hoped he wouldn't come to regret his decision.


	9. Chapter 9

The patrol took much longer than Link would have liked. There weren't many people about, but he did find a few. Mostly they were people who worked in the castle, which he'd been instructed to turn out until the Royal Guard could be returned, and there were even a few that had ventured out to see their new ruler. It almost pained Link to see their hope crumble on their faces – almost. He had a job to do, and no matter how disappointed they looked, Link would not compromise his Prince's safety.

By the time Link was able to return to the tower, he was exhausted. Everything was starting to catch up with him, whether he wished it to or not. Sheik was still wide-awake, talking politely with the younger guards when they returned. His face brightened immediately when he saw the Hero of Time, but it fell when he realized that he was exhausted.

Link, however, didn't want to admit just how worn he was. Instead of giving in, he feigned the energy, grinning widely at his Prince when he wrapped him in an embrace.

"Welcome back, Hero," he purred in Link's ear before pulling away.

"The armour looks good on you." Holding his Prince at arm's length, Link surveyed the polished metal. It was intricate, but well-made. It fit exactly where it should, leaving very little exposed. Although it was very covering, it also didn't look too heavy, and that worried the hero. It wouldn't protect well in heavy combat.

But he kept that to himself when he saw his Prince's smile. "I believe it does," he agreed, their eyes locking for a moment. Then Sheik turned to the young men he'd been talking with, opening his mouth to introduce them.

He didn't get the chance. Someone from above shouted about intruders, and suddenly there was chaos. Link and Sheik moved out of the way as guards rushed to take care of the possible threat. Within moments, they returned, roughly hauling the two struggling intruders.

"Unhand us, this instant!" Roared one, and Link knew instantly who it was. "You brutes are foolish, we work for the Prince himself!"

"As do we!" One of the guards shoved Lady Arreil, dressed in boy's clothing, to the ground.

"Halt! Stop this at once!" Everyone turned to Sheik, the chaos subsiding momentarily, as he rushed forward, shoving guards out of the way to get to his Ladies. He offered a hand to Lady Arreil, pulling her to her feet and turning to the other intruder. "Ladies Arreil and Anise, what are you doing here?"

Bowing deeply, Lady Arreil answered for the shy girl still being held tightly by the guards, "We came to see you."

The crowd started to shift, some people pushing inward and blocking Link's view. He wanted to help, but knew that it wasn't his place right then. Prince Sheik was more than capable of handling this on his own.

"I am glad to see you both. However, I do not think it was wise of you to sneak into the castle. What reason do you have for the disguise?"

"The staff were being turned away." Anise's small voice was hard to hear over the shifting of guards as a few of them lost interest and returned to their posts.

For a few moments, while the crowd dispersed, Link was unable to see or hear what the three of them were doing. When he did, he saw the three of them clutching one another in a group hug. When he approached them Anise broke away and grinned widely at Link, the first genuine smile he'd seen on her face since meeting her. The candid nature of it made Link smile back.

"How long, Prince?"

Link turned to hear the answer, even if he didn't know what was being asked. "Once the castle has been reclaimed by the Royal Guard, I can allow you to take up your posts once more, Ladies." The grin on Sheik's face told Link how pleased he was that his Ladies recognized him for who he was, the Prince rather than their Princess.

Exhaustion weighed heavily on the Hero of Time and he found himself unable to fully pay attention to the conversation. He got the gist – the Ladies wished to stay with their Prince, but the Prince wished for them to leave and stay at home until it was safe to return – but could not find the energy to participate in the conversation much. When it was finally decided that the two of them were to stay, Link tuned back in.

"Hero," the Prince's attention was back on the exhausted Hylian. "If you are able, would you mind finding the Captain and requesting a place for these two lovely women to stay on my behalf? I fear I have already plagued him enough with my questions."

Link smiled. "Of course." Sleep could wait a few minutes. He motioned for the Ladies Anise and Arreil to follow him up the stairs, where he guessed the Captain would be.

Guessing right, Link made quick work of asking for rooms for the two, to which the Captain agreed, before asking for a place to sleep for himself. It was about time for him to get a well-deserved rest.

* * *

><p>Sheik roused him as the sun set, excited but looking weary. Link briefly wondered if he'd had any sleep yet, dismissing the idea that he hadn't. Of course the Prince wouldn't neglect himself, not when it was so important for him to be on guard.<p>

"Hero," he whispered excitedly, shaking him. "Hero, the castle has been reclaimed. We can return to my chambers."

Link groaned as he dragged himself back into the waking world. It took a moment for him to recognize what exactly his Prince was saying as he sat up, brushing sleep from his eyes. "Oh," he finally replied, "Wonderful, let's go." A bed would be nice. A bed and the things they would likely do in it.

"Lets," agreed the Prince. The two of them met with Lady Arreil and Lady Anise on the main floor, and together they bid the remainder of the guards in the tower a quick farewell. As a group, they headed back into the main castle, where the halls were staffed with guards once again, albeit a little more sparsely. Each one nodded to the Prince as they went, and Link could see how it affected him. He could see the trust grow for those who were still with him.

The Ladies insisted on following the two of them all the way back to the Prince's chambers. They didn't want to leave him when it was so crucial for him to know he had allies and that nothing would change how they saw him. He was a just a fair leader, they said – or rather, Lady Arreil said and Lady Anise agreed.

Link felt himself swell with pride. Perhaps not everyone would hate their Prince. Perhaps, like Link himself, it would just take a little time to realize that nothing had changed but the title. That Sheik would not be different simply because of the name he was using now.

Perhaps there was hope for the future after all.

~End~

**A/N: **My apologies for taking so long with this chapter when it's so short and dry ... I honestly have a hard time with writing endings, and I'm really sorry for this monstrosity. Maybe when I've had time to just step back from this story, I'll be able to write out this ending better. We'll see.

Thank you for reading. I appreciate each and every one of you wonderful people, and I thank all of those who left reviews and who may still leave a review in the future.

Thank you.


End file.
